General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, on August 9 departed Hanoi for state visits to Australia and New Zealand, which will run through August 14. The visits are made at the invitations of Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn and Governor-General of New Zealand Cindy Kiro.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam on August 9 departs Hanoi for state visits to Australia and New Zealand. (Photo: VNA)
The delegation includes Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Politburo member, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Trinh Van Quyet, Politburo member, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education; Gen. Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence; Gen. Luong Tam Quang, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security; Le Hoai Trung, Politburo member and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nguyen Hai Ninh, CPV Central Committee member and Chief of the CPV Central Committee Office; Nguyen Doan Anh, CPV Central Committee member and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; To An Xo, Assistant to the General Secretary and State President; Pham Hung Tam, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia; and Phan Minh Giang, Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand.
Accompanying the delegation from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics are Prof, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council; and Assoc, Prof, Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice President of the Academy and Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam at the Vietnam-Australia Techconnect Forum in Sydney (Photo: VNA)
Delegates at the Vietnam-Australia Techconnect Forum in Sydney (Photo: VNA)
The visits to Australia and New Zealand affirm Vietnam's steadily rising standing. This is the first visit to Australia and New Zealand by General Secretary and State President To Lam following the success of the 14th National Congress of the Party and the consolidation of top leadership positions following the elections for the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term; it is also the first visit by a top Vietnamese leader since Vietnam upgraded its relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia (in March 2024) and New Zealand (in February 2025).
BBT